Here is the poem for Monday, April 26. To celebrate National Poetry Month, I am posting a short poem, a question and prompt every other day during the month. Mostly they will be poems by my daily companions, the ancient Japanese and Chinese poets. I will do the prompt myself, either in prose or poetry, and invite you to join.

Living in the mountains
I have grown old,
No longer needing much sleep—
I am always up at dawn
To greet the morning moon.
--Rengetsu

Do you like this poem? Why or why not? How does it make you feel?
Prompt: Start your writing response with the word “Living” and attach it to a person or place or even see where it leads you

Living in the city
Living in the country
Living through the pandemic
Living with you
Living alone

Living in the monastery
I have grown either wise or weary:
No longer interested in emperors
Throned clergy, daily chant, community babble—
I cling to my prayer beads.
--Old Monk